If your Business is running on computers from 1990s, on Windows XP, and browsing with something that has the word “Explorer” in the name, you are definitely missing out on the benefits of modern technologies. In fact, you should hand your IT critter his final paycheck, and go boldly into the 21st century.
Technology is no longer some mysterious black box that no one understands. It is an integral part of our daily lives. Eschewing technological advancement is like rejecting indoor plumbing. If your business is not taking full advantage of today’s tech, you don’t look like the sage, cautious master of industry you envision. You just look like an idiot.
A bank that does not offer remote check deposit via a Smartphone camera will not even be considered by anyone younger than 35. A company without a website simply doesn’t exist to people who do most of their business online. And if you think the fax number on your business card makes you look professional, you’ve slept through the last 10 years. Here are some other technologies you don’t want to let pass you by:
There is an App for That
While there were Smartphones with app repositories before the introduction of the iPhone, there is no denying that Apple pioneered the modern-day notion of a Smartphone and app economy. If you still believe that apps are just a fad for spoiled, latchkey tech kids, you need to watch more Sesame Street. Even the makers of that venerable TV show understood the cultural significance of “There’s an app for that”.
If your company is not represented in both major app stores, you can get started at your next event or conference by first hiring someone to build an app for you. This is not the type of app that powers up your Candy Saga adventures. According to the technology platform innovator DoubleDutch, event and conference apps:
- Add value to your event
- Increase brand awareness
- Increase engagement
- And much more…
Obviously, conference apps are not the only kind that can benefit your business. But they are an easy and affordable place to start.
Mobile Payments
How much damage can be done to your business if a thief gets hold of your corporate credit card? I’ll wait while you calculate.
How many of those corporate cards are in the wallets of the people in your employ? Those cards are just as easily lost or stolen as any personal credit card. There is no definitive information on how many credit cards are lost or stolen. But one can speculate that the number is quite high considering all the websites that provide information on what to do in such an eventuality.
With mobile payment solutions like Apple Pay, the corporate card can be kept in a highly encrypted secure element, with the actual card number inaccessible. In the case of Apple Pay, even if the phone is lost or stolen, the card cannot be used by whoever ends up with the device. It is protected by both biometric authentication and passcode.
Beyond that, cards can be deleted from individual devices without canceling the card. That saves a lot of time and money. The time is now to start retooling your corporate cardholders with something more secure.
Smarter Watches
This is the year of the smartwatch. The business case for these devices can be summed up in four words – no more missed notifications. Missed notifications mean lost sales, uncommunicated, critical changes in plan, out-of-date information. You can’t afford to miss business notifications. When the Smartphone is in a pocket or purse, notifications get missed.
New technology is everywhere, and influencing everything we do. If your business is not keeping up, you may never know what you’re missing, until it is too late.
